Chapter 6 - A Diagnosis Written Before the Wedding)
The doctor's name was Malcolm Reed.
Giulietta had never met him.
That fact apparently did not prevent Dr. Reed from diagnosing her.
The draft letter described severe emotional instability, impulsive behavior, paranoia and possible substance abuse.
It recommended a seventy two hour period of observation.
It stated that Giulietta Marconi Hale should not exercise financial authority during treatment.
Naomi read the photograph Elliot had taken.
"They've prewritten the medical event."
Marco stood behind her.
"Can we arrest them with this?"
"No."
"Why the hell not?"
"A draft isn't execution of a crime."
"They forged medical findings."
"We need the original. Chain of custody matters."
Giulietta stared at the photograph.
The document referred to her as Giulietta Marconi Hale.
Again.
Warren was writing her future as if it had already happened.
"What triggers this?" she asked.
Naomi looked at the text.
"Likely an incident."
"What kind?"
"Anything that gets you into a hospital."
Celeste sat near the window.
Her hands were tightly clasped.
"That's what he did to me."
Everyone turned.
Celeste looked pale.
"He picked a fight at dinner."
Giulietta listened.
"He kept pouring wine. I stopped drinking, so he accused me of humiliating him in front of investors."
Her voice became distant.
"I remember arguing. Then I remember waking up."
Marco sat across from her.
"What happened in between?"
"I don't know."
"Did Preston see?"
Celeste closed her eyes.
"He was fourteen."
Giulietta felt something twist inside her.
"Was he there?"
"Yes."
"What did he tell doctors?"
Celeste opened her eyes.
"That I had been acting strangely for weeks."
Silence filled the room.
Preston had helped.
Maybe as a frightened child manipulated by his father.
But he had helped.
Giulietta thought of the man who grabbed her wrist and told her his mother had learned her place.
Whatever Preston had once been, he was not fourteen anymore.
Marco broke the silence.
"We end this now."
Giulietta shook her head.
"Not yet."
Celeste stood abruptly.
"What exactly are you waiting for?"
"For proof nobody can explain away."
"You have proof."
"We have enough to stop my wedding."
"That should be enough."
"For me, yes."
Giulietta turned to her.
"But Warren has done this before. If we stop now, he says the documents were drafts. Patrick takes the blame. Dr. Reed says he was preparing hypotheticals. Preston says he knew nothing."
Celeste looked furious.
"Then let them."
"And Warren finds another woman."
The room became quiet.
Giulietta continued.
"Another company. Another family. Another person he thinks he can control."
Celeste's eyes filled.
"You don't owe strangers your safety."
"No."
Giulietta's voice softened.
"But I owe myself the chance to end this properly."
Marco rubbed his jaw.
"If we continue, security doubles."
"Fine."
"You never meet Preston alone."
Giulietta hesitated.
"That's not always going to be possible."
"It is now."
"No. If we suddenly change every routine, Warren knows."
Marco stood.
"Then I don't care if Warren knows."
Giulietta stepped toward him.
"I do."
They stared at each other.
Uncle and niece.
Both stubborn.
Both frightened for the same reason.
Naomi finally interrupted.
"We can reduce risk without changing visible behavior."
She looked at Giulietta.
"You wear an emergency device."
"What kind?"
"Audio transmitter. GPS. Panic trigger."
Marco nodded immediately.
Giulietta thought.
"Can it fit inside jewelry?"
Naomi smiled faintly.
"At a wedding, jewelry is useful."
Two days later, a tiny transmitter was hidden inside the clasp of Giulietta's diamond bracelet.
The wedding continued.
Dress fittings.
Menu tastings.
Seating charts.
Floral meetings.
Every smiling photograph became part of the deception.
Preston relaxed as Giulietta pretended to relax.
He brought breakfast.
He apologized again.
He even made a joke about couples counseling.
Giulietta laughed at the appropriate moments.
Inside, she cataloged every sentence.
Warren became warmer too.
He sent a handwritten note welcoming her to the Hale family.
Giulietta read it beside Marco.
He looked disgusted.
"Burn it."
"No."
"Why keep it?"
"Because men like Warren eventually explain themselves when they think they have won."
She placed the note into an evidence folder.
Patrick Dorsey became their next problem.
They needed him talking.
Giulietta invited him to lunch.
Patrick arrived sweating.
He had lost weight.
"How are wedding preparations?"
"Expensive."
He laughed too loudly.
Giulietta smiled.
"Patrick, I have a question."
His smile disappeared.
"Of course."
"Is Hale Capital in trouble?"
He froze.
Only for a fraction.
Enough.
"Why would you ask?"
"Preston mentioned pressure."
"I wouldn't know."
"You're our chief financial officer."
"Not theirs."
"Exactly."
Patrick took water.
His hand trembled.
Giulietta leaned back.
"My father trusted you."
Patrick looked down.
The sentence worked.
His face crumpled slightly.
"Luca was a good man."
"My mother trusted you."
Patrick swallowed.
"Yes."
"I trusted you."
His eyes lifted.
"Giulietta."
"Why did you give Warren my credentials?"
The glass stopped at Patrick's mouth.
There was no point pretending.
He lowered it.
"I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Patrick looked around the restaurant.
"Warren has information."
"About what?"
"My son."
"What about him?"
Patrick closed his eyes.
"Three years ago, Daniel had a gambling problem."
Giulietta waited.
"He borrowed from people he shouldn't have."
"Warren paid them?"
Patrick nodded.
"In exchange for access."
"How much access?"
"At first, nothing significant."
"Patrick."
"Board schedules. Internal forecasts."
"And then?"
"He wanted authorization templates."
Giulietta felt anger rise.
"You gave him my signature."
"I gave him a file."
"Containing my signature."
"I never knew what he intended."
"You knew enough to visit Elliot at midnight."
Patrick's face drained.
"How do you know that?"
"Because Elliot's building has cameras."
He looked toward the door.
Giulietta lowered her voice.
"If you run, Warren owns the rest of your life."
Patrick stared at her.
"If you help us, you may have one chance to own your mistakes."
Patrick's lips trembled.
"What do you want?"
"Everything."
He looked at his hands.
Then he said something Giulietta did not expect.
"Warren isn't planning to wait until after the wedding."
Her heartbeat changed.
"What do you mean?"
Patrick looked directly at her.
"He moved the medical incident."
"When?"
May you like
Patrick whispered.
"Wedding day."
